Recruitment
by DragShot
Summary: After the events of Jailbreak, the gems sent from Homeworld have been left stranded on Earth. Two of them are in an alarming situation and the third one is missing, but a certain boy has plans for them. However, complicated decisions are to be taken in order to fulfill his purpose. English version of my fic "Reclutamiento", as requested.
1. Prologue: The Great Escape

**AN: Hey guys! Some people asked me an English version of this fanfic, so I'm gonna give it a try. I'm actually half of the way with the fic, but let's just begin like fresh with this one, alright?**

 **In this story, we'll begin going in parallel with the events of Jailbreak, to start taking our distance to the show plot progressively until reaching the Steven Bomb 2.0 episodes with several changes already present, and then continue with a plot on my own. So, yeah, this is not SB 3.0 cannon, exactly. I've changed my mind about some characters after watching such episodes, but what is done is done.**

 **In short: the story you're about to read is mine, while the design for characters, most of places and context are a creation of Rebecca Suggar and property of Cartoon Network.**

 **Let me show you how I'm managing dialogs for this fic in particular:**

 **\- Character: What it says [thoughts in middle] (actions and expressions in middle)**

 **The thoughts which take place in middle of dialog lines imply a short pause between words.**

 **Now, let's begin!**

* * *

 **Recruitment  
** _A fiction series by DragShot **  
**_

 **Prologue: The Great Escape  
**

Earth. A planet apparently so common, yet so statistically extraordinary when carefully observed. Such planet is, in thousands of light years, the only one which meets the conditions needed to shelter sentient life. Its mere existence is such a miracle... a wonderful miracle.

And that place was more known than the expected.

There was a plated warship in orbit, with five finger-like protuberances coming out of it, pointing towards the planet. Suddenly, its inferior base exploded and the ship began falling down, victim of the gravity force of the self-effacing planet.

In the control room, three individual were trying to recover control of the ship. The first of them was the tallest one, with inhumanly pale skin and a pearl gemstone on the forehead. The second was considerably smaller, with purple skin and an amethyst embedded on the chest. The third one, unlike the others, looked just like any human child, wearing a magenta t-shirt with a big yellow star on it, jeans and sandals. Next to them was another individual, with green skin and a peridot gemstone on the forehead; it was tied with a dark, spiky whip.

In an instant, the prisoner hit the ground with her head, summoning an escape pod around her to successfully flee away from her captors. The pod was quickly sent out of the ship, plummeting towards the planet.

\- Amethyst: **Crap, I lost her!**

Then, a new subject makes its appearance. This one was taller than the already present, possessing a dark reddish skin, sort of square-afro-styled hair and dark glasses.

Together, these individuals, responding to the names of Pearl, Amethyst, Steven and Garnet respectively, conform a team known locally as the Crystal Gems. An alien squad that made of the blue planet their home, and to which they had promised to protect from even their own species.

\- Garnet: **This ship is going to hell real fast!**

\- Steven: **What about Lapis?**

\- Garnet: **There's no time!**

\- Steven: **Dammit!**

Although their efforts, nothing avoided the obstreperous crash of the warship on the bay of a small town known as Beach City. The ship lost one of its fingers at the moment of the impact. Moments later, a short circuit provoked a deafening blast, destroying the vehicle completely.

Then a lion of a distinctive rose color arrived on scene, searching between the debris and sending them away with a powerful roar. Done this, we find our heroes protected from the explosion by a dense pink bubble under control of the kid, revealing to have a rose quartz gem embedded on his bellybutton. The bubble dispelled, allowing them to take some air.

\- Garnet: **Good work.**

\- Steven: **Thanks.** (Suddenly remembers what happened minutes ago) **Garnet! I didn't know you were a fusion this whole time!**

\- Amethyst: **Wait... did you meet Ruby and Sapphire?**

\- Pearl: **Oh no, you weren't supposed to know just yet. Garnet, your plan!**

\- Steven: (Confused) **Ah?**

\- Garnet: **It was a surprise for your birthday.**

\- Steven: **Oh, don't worry. I will just pretend nothing of this happened, and problem solved.**

\- Garnet: **Hmm... sounds fine to me.**

Some rubble were launched far away in front of them, revealing a beefy gem with orange, dark-stripped skin and a fluffy pale hair, having for nose a jasper gemstone ironically small for her physical form. The invader rested on her knees, visibly exhausted and breathing with difficulty.

\- Jasper: **Rahh!... Don't... think... I'm defeated...** (loses breath for a moment, then takes some seconds to gather the air only necessary to speak) **You... are... a cheater... fusion...** (grins) **Yeah, he he... if I had somebody to fuse with... you wouldn't stand any chance.**

More debris are thrown away while another gem, with soft blue skin and metallic blue hair, breaks free from her prison.

\- Lapis: **What... the hell...?**

\- Steven: (Scratches his head, sightly embarrassed) **Eh... I'm sorry, Lapis.**

\- Garnet: **Thinking it better, maybe throwing Jasper into the reactor core wasn't the best idea.**

The blue gem gave a look to her surrounding for a moment, with an evident expression of annoyance on her face.

It was that situation all again. How many times was she supposed to pass through this?

\- Lapis: **Seriously, what the hell is you guys' problem?** (Turns her back, a pair of water wings come out from her gemstone) **You know what? Screw this! I'm out.**

In the exact moment she tried to lift, Jasper took her by one of her foot, pulling her down abruptly to the ground to grab her from one arm and talk meanly to her:

\- Jasper: **Where do you think you're going, brat?**

As soon as he saw this, Steven tried to stop it; but Pearl acted first, preventing him from intervening.

\- Steven: **Lapis!**

\- Jasper: **Come Lapis. Fuse with me!**

\- Lapis: (Incredulous) **... Is this some kind of cruel joke?**

\- Jasper: **Shut up up listen! Haven't you got enough of being trapped in that stupid mirror due to THEM?**

Jasper hold the petite gem's jaw, forcing her to look towards the Crystal Gems, who were already standing in front of them.

\- Jasper: **Think about it, it is now when you can take revenge! YOU in ME!**

Lapis was dropped immediately, landing on her butt. The time around her seemed to stop.

The ocean gem looked steadily towards Steven. The hybrid seemed honestly worried about her and what was happening to her. During all her stay on Earth, since the invasion, he was the only creature that was interested enough in her to actually listen, to really offer a helping hand.

\- Steven: (Saddened) **Lapis?...**

And although Steven hadn't been able to get her out of the warship as he assured her minutes ago, she was still in debt with the kid.

Thanks to him, she could get out of her mirror prison, in which she was trapped for about five millenniums.

Thanks to him, she could recover from her wounds.

Thanks to him, she could get back home..

No. That planet known as the Gem Homeworld was far from being the majestic place she once was part of.

Lapis gave a look to the beefy gem next to her. Her hand was extended towards the petite gem, and her eyes were glowing intensely... although in a sightly perturbing way.

She offered to cooperate to make her previous captors pay for what they did. Certainly, an attractive proposition.

If it weren't for she being her current captor, of course, and she surely was going to keep being it as soon as this ended.

No. She couldn't allow this to go on.

Lapis had more than enough of every _damn_ body wanting to take her as prisoner.

She definitely wasn't going to serve anyone anymore, much less to a pawn of **her**.

The empress with a heart as cold and hard as diamond. The current ruler of Homeworld, now lacking of its beautifulness, in which she lived countless wonderful experiences.

They wouldn't take her prisoner again, not while she was alive... not while at least a tiny shard of her gemstone wasn't reduced to dust.

The ocean gem moved her attention towards Steven again, seeing the angst perfectly pictured in his small face.

Why did Steven offered his help to her?

What did make him different from the other gems?

Why did that gemstone in his abdomen look so shockingly familiar?

Unfortunately, she wouldn't have time to know the answers. Lapis knew what she had to do. Her decision was taken.

The time resumed its course. It was time to act.

\- Jasper: (Twisted smile) **Come on, just say yes!**

Lapis stood up, looking dead serious, and didn't respond with anything more that an extended hand. Jasper let go a small laugh in joy and took it.

\- Steven: **NOOOOOOO!**

And so, the short dance that seemed eternal for Steven began. After some steps, Lapis ended wrapped in Jasper's arms, and the synchronization was established. Jasper could be seen smiling grimly once more before the lights engulfed her completely. Moments later, a colossal emerald-green gem with six arms and four eyes was rising in front of our heroes, laughing in a terrifying manner. The beast lifted one of its arms, raising an even bigger water hand from the ocean with it.

The Crystal Gems got prepared for the worst, but as soon as Malachite, the fusion product of both gems' madness, tried to crush them, the water arm suddenly turned into a chain that trapped her arm. More water chains appeared from the ocean, holding her other arms and her torso.

\- Malachite [Jasper]: **Uh?...** (Falls faceplant to the ground) **What?**

\- Malachite [Lapis]: **Enjoying the show?**

\- Malachite [Jasper]: **What... What does THIS mean!?...**

\- Malachite [Lapis]: **When I broke free from that mirror I swore nobody would use me again. I'm NOT going to be anyone's prisoner! Now YOU'LL be my prisoner!**

The chains started to pull back, dragging the giant fusion towards the ocean, despite itself.

\- Steven: **Lapis! Don't do it!**

\- Pearl: (Keeps her hold in him) **No, Steven!**

Jasper tried desperately to undo the fusion, but the same rage that she focused to do it was part of what kept the bond, and Lapis' rage was way stronger than hers, so her attempts were futile. The creature was slowly being submerged into the ocean until only her head could be seen on the surface.

\- Malachite [Lapis]: **We're going to stay in this miserable planet... TOGETHER!**

Said this, Malachite was lost in the depths of the ocean to not be seen anymore. The water cooled off progressively until it was back to normal.

On the beach four individuals remained, watching the place where they saw the beast for the last time, awestruck.

\- Garnet: (Adjusting her shades) **Well, those two definitely don't do any good each other.**

\- Steven: (Sighs heavily) **Aww crap...**

There he goes again. In what moment had Pearl lost the control of things with the Quartz child?

What would the former leader of the team think of her at seeing such a scene?

If only certain gem weren't trying to bring him on bad steps every moment...

\- Pearl: **Steven! What did I tell you about saying curse words?**

\- Steven: **Oh... sorry Pearl.**

The gem switched her attention directly towards the responsible.

\- Pearl: **This wouldn't have happened if you didn't show those adult movies to Steven, Amethyst.**

\- Amethyst: (Indignant) **Could it be known what the heck have to do some action movies with all of this!?**

\- Pearl: **Don't dare change the topic, Amethyst. You know well I'm talking about the language you and Steven are employing lately.**

\- Amethyst: **And what do you tell me about Garnet then, there in the ship?**

\- Garnet: (Totally stoic as usual) **It was an emergency, I was really nervous.**

\- Amethyst: (Sarcastic) **Yeah, sure. 'Cause controlling Ruby's impulsiveness must be too damn hard...**

\- Pearl: **Amethyst!**

\- Garnet: **It actually is!**

\- Amethyst: **Oh come on...!  
**

Steven wasn't sure about how to stop the sudden argue between the gems. In fact, he wasn't sure about anything anymore.

The kid had just been kidnapped by a bunch of aliens in a enormous ship, one of them having left him a black eye and "killed" one of his protectors; for then ending with the ship destroyed and with someone he really cared about sacrificing herself, maybe in a futile way, due to her own frustration. To that was needed to add the state in which Beach City should be at the moment. What was a 12-year-old boy supposed to think about that?

This definitely wasn't something common for Steven; but for being a Crystal Gem one had to be strong, they say. Strong in what really mattered, strong in the real way.

Fortunately for him, the ringing of his cellphone was what stopped the heated discussion maintained back there, as Garnet was unusually unsuccessful with that.

\- Steven: (Reads the caller id) **Oh, man... I don't like this.** (Accepts the call) **Hello?**

» Connie: **Steven, I got your message. What happened? Are you OK?... Please tell me you're not hurt!**

\- Steven: **Eh...**

» Connie: (Impatient) **Steven? Steven!**

\- Steven: **Y-yeah... I'm... I'm fine, don't worry.** (Short pause) **Hey... I-I'm calling you back, alright?**

» Connie: **Steven, wai-**

Steven ended the call. He didn't know how to explain Connie what happened. For that he would need to assimilate it all in first place, because even he didn't ended believing it. Long gone were the happy days of going to missions with the gems, fighting corrupted monsters and collecting shards, having a nice time with Connie, helping occasionally to his father and eating some ol' good Cookie Cats at the end of the day. Yes sir.

His team was affronting hard times, making it tremble. The Crystal Gems needed one each other now more than ever.

They needed him.

Maybe it was time of taking a more active participation in the team's decisions.

This sounded like a case for Serious Steven!...

NO. This wasn't time to play serious!

This was time to actually be serious!

About the homeworld gems, Steven had to admit it: they were fascinating beings.

Jasper, so brave and strong. With the enough will to face a veteran, powerful, perfect fusion, with the confidence of actually being able of come out victorious; even knowing she wasn't.

Peridot, cautious, meticulous, full of knowledge and at the same time so... miserable. She had no options, she had no choice. Only orders to follow.

And Lapis... Lapis Lazuli. That beautiful petite gem lost in time. A great friend. So sweet, delicate and graceful. Seeing her wonderful smile opaqued by her hard situation was just too much.

Inside him, something got clear enough: those three gems were having a really bad time. One maxim of the Crystal Gems was "no gems are to be left behind", and Steven felt he had to make honor to it.

\- Pearl: **Oh sweet gems, the beach is made quite a mess. We're going to have to clean up all of this before the others come back.**

\- Amethyst: (Annoyed) **Really? Our gems could have been smashed to dust and the only thing you can think of is to clean?**

Clean up? Of course! How could he have ignored all the mess around him? And with Pearl nearby, this probably wouldn't end before the beach gets as clean and shiny as before or even more.

\- Steven: (Feeling defeated) **I hate Mondays.**

* * *

 **NA: I have to confess I always wanted to hear Garnet say that first line of hers...  
**

 **Anyway, feel welcome and wait for more; or at least for what is already published in the original entry, in Spanish.**

 **Don't forget to leave your reviews and comments alike. That stuff is what we writers expect the most of you: to feel our message and ideas are actually received by someone, with a reply, giving place to a lasting conversation.**

 **By the way, translating one of these chapters seems to be harder to me than simply redacting them, so it's gonna take a while to do it.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chap 1: Unforeseen Consequences

**NA: I think this first chapter is really necessary to give this story** ** **a start**. So, let's begin once for all!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Unforeseen Consequences  
**

\- **_"Go to Earth", they said. "Those gems won't be a problem", they said..._**

In middle of a corn field an escape pod had crashed, suffering considerable damage and leaving a notorious trace behind. In front of the pod, a green individual, wearing a uniform and with a peridot gemstone on the forehead under her visor, was getting up while getting rid of a dark whip with purple scales. Such a thing had been a real pain to fight against until she got to break free of its grab.

\- Peridot: (Brushing her arm) **As soon as I get back and find those two again they're going to see. Now... I need to get outta here first.**

The gem used four of her floating fingers to create a small screen. She moved around the projected interface to establish contact with Homeworld... or at least she tried.

\- Peridot: **No... no, no, no, no, no... No! Dammit!... Why of all the planets where I could have an accident like this, it had to happen in one far enough to receive signal not strong enough?**

Peridot tried moving around the area cleared by the crash landing in look for better reception, without success.

\- Peridot: (Cursing to herself while shaking the integrated device) **Gemfuck...**

Then the alien gave the case for lost, undid the screen and got back to her pod, to check its status. Hopefully, at least the communication systems wouldn't be messed up.

With a hand gesture, a holographic interface was deployed inside the cabin. The system ran its boot sequence, checking the availability of the various devices the pod had been equipped with. Several warning and error messages took place on screen in no time.

Finally, the message Peridot feared the most appeared in red letters: the communications module was offline.

\- Peridot: (Stressed) **No! Why?... Why!?... WHYYY!? Duuuh!...**

Feeling down, the homeworld gem could do nothing but siting next to the pod and taking a moment to think, with her arms resting placed over her knees. This may be a primal planet, but thousands of years have passed since the last thing the gems knew about it, before needed from it again. Maybe, just maybe, humans had now the technology needed to establish an stable communications link with her home. If that was so, she was going to have to move... No, wait. Moving out in enemy territory would be exposing herself to the Crystal Gems. The chances of being able to defend successfully of three gems and what seemed to be an improbable amalgam between a meat and bones human and a quartz gem, every one of them weaponed at some point, were minimal. She couldn't dare do that in her current situation.

Peridot cursed in her inner self the time when this task was assigned to her. She was supposed to be back in Homeworld right now, after Jasper gave notice of their sudden returning. She was supposed to be taking a deserved break, giving maintenance to her own devices... stuff she usually did in missions too, but at least far away from the menacing sight of Yellow Diamond... stuff she actually enjoyed and needed to do.

\- Peridot: **I just...** (crosses her arms and buries her face between them) **I just want to go home...**

Unfortunately, it seemed she could only wait for the days to pass, in order to continue with her previous mission; and praying to the primal gems that Yellow Diamond didn't end up beating her gemstone to dust for this wouldn't be a bad idea either.

* * *

\- Connie: **What do you mean you don't want to be my friend anymore!?**

There had been a pair of days since the incident, but the problems didn't seem to end for Steven. The young boy had thought that it was for the better to get away from Connie and keep her out of the matter, in order to avoid getting her in risk. What he didn't count with was that, by ignoring her, he just made her want to get to the bottom of it all.

And there were they. Some big portions of the warship were still around the beach. A girl of similar age to the hybrid, of sightly dark skin and wearing a one-piece light blue dress, was in front of him. Connie faced Steven at the verge of tears.

\- Connie: **Explain yourself now, Steven Quartz Universe!**

He was making her suffer, exactly what he wanted to avoid.

\- Steven: **Well... y-yes... and no.**

That answer sent a light of hope through Connie. There was an actual reason behind this mess, and knowing Steven, it was probably something complicated enough to force him into taking these measures.

\- Connie: **... S-So?**

\- Steven: **It's... it's... (tries to think in something to cover up with, but finally he gives up under the pressure) It's just that I don't want them to hurt you! I CAN'T LOSE YOU THAT WAY CONNIE!**

The girl was awestruck due to what she just heard.

\- Connie: **Could you... tell me again what happened back then for you to be so afraid about that?**

\- Steven: **Don't... don't you get it? They kidnapped me! They punched me! And... and...** (raises both of his arms) **and they made Garnet poof back to her gemstones!** (Short pause) **Connie, those gems had no choice! They could have killed us, or** ** **even** something worse.**

\- Connie: **Steven...**

\- Steven: **They came for my mother, and now...** (closes his hand into fists and lowers his sight) **I fear there could be more coming for us.**

\- Connie: **Steven, please...**

\- Steven: **Between either not seeing you again or seeing you hurt or...** (swallows) **dead... I'd prefer not seeing you ever again.**

Steven raised his sight again. His usual happy eyes were no more, leaving in their place a pair of glassy, wet eyes. Rivers of tears were flowing through his cheeks, and even a trickle of mucus was starting to lean out of his nose.

\- Steven: (His voice starts breaking) **It's just... *snif*... I could not stand it... *snif*... I may be strong for a lot of stuff for... *snif*... for mom, but... *snif*... not for this. I-I can't!... *snif*... I... c-cant...**

Connie could feel her heart sink and shrink until it had the size of a walnut after hearing the hurtful confession she just provoked.

\- Connie: **Steven, d-dont say that, please.**

The girl cleared her throat before continuing. Even if she felt the need of crying, it didn't seem the right moment to her.

\- Connie: **You're one of the very few friends I've had, maybe even the only true one until now. That day when we met near here, you saved me. I mean, not from that... thing that attacked us then, but from my own loneliness. You don't know what I have passed by until then.**

Connie hold the boy's face within her hands. Steven stopped his cry. He needed to hear what his dearest friend tried to tell him.

\- Connie: **Thanks to you, I finally found the needed courage to open myself to the world, to grow in full as anyone else. Being prisoner of your own fears and, thus, unable to socialize with others is... is horrible. It's a freaking magnet of troubles, overall when at least five days a week you have to share space with hundreds of people, some of which take advantage of weaknesses like that one.**

\- Steven: (His voice clear again) **Geez... I... I didn't think I've had done so much, actually.**

\- Connie: **Finally, Steven, I can't see you go just like that, without even knowing if I will ever know from you again. (This time, her voice is the one that breaks) I'm not that strong either... Let's admit it, nobody of us has the necessary to deal with something like that!**

Prey of her own cry, Connie threw herself over Steven, hugging him without second thoughts. Steven stayed unmoving for some moments, not knowing what to do. Eventually, out of instinct, he slowly hugged her back.

\- Connie: **I know there are risks out there, I know life can be hard and cruel... but please, don't ask me to leave!... because feeling all alone is sometimes even worse than death itself!**

\- Steven: **Forgive me, Connie.** (Breaks apart the hug and moves her in front of him) **I shouldn't have acted this way.**

\- Connie: **No, Steven. You did well, because now I can see that... what I really want is to be with you, and face whatever happens to us... with you. A lonely life is not a life, and I would prefer to sacrifice it fighting for something I believe than waste a thousand years feeling my existance has no purpose.** (Caresesses his face) **And you, Steven, have given me a purpose.**

Connie ended her speech with a slight grin, and Steven couldn't avoid following it with a small smile, turning her grin into a smile of her own, shining in her lovely face.

\- Connie: **We'll get out of this, Steven. Together.**

Not far from there, a short gem, with purple skin, long pale hair and an amethyst gemstone embedded in her chest, was leaning on the railing in front of a small beach house at the foot of an enormous statue of a colossal woman, with several arms coming out of her. Amethyst looked seemed touched by the events taking place down there at the beach, and had with her a bucket of pop-corn.

\- Amethyst: (Wet eyes) **This is so fucking beautiful... *snif*.**

The crystal gem ate a bunch of pop-corn, holding her tears.

* * *

 **NA: Well, after slice-of-life stuff there comes the feels. That's the main rule of Steven Universe so I considered the best was to follow it.  
**

 **And there's a lot more from where those came from. You're warned in advance.**

 **Aren't those two a cute little pairing? And their innocence just makes it all better to play with!**

 **Thanks for reading, everyone.  
**


	3. Chap 2: Rising Tides, Falling Rain (1-2)

**NA: Don't forget to report any mistake I might make in the redaction. I mean, seriously, I found some by myself and I had to fix them.**

 **Now, let's begin with the first main events in the story.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Rising Tides, Falling Rain - Part One  
**

Some months later, Beach City finally got to be fully restored, and that invasion faded away into merely a bad memory. Gradually, the days for Steven went back to be the old good ones... except for the Cookie Cats. That truly was a permanent problem.

It was late in the outskirts of Beach City. Back in their common contention and neutralization duties, the Crystal Gems were fighting a sort of dark green, giant crab gem monster, with six legs, a pair of big tongs and a single eye.

The gems were attacking it one at time, in order to fatigue it for being able to bring it down later, all of them together. Pearl began throwing several spears of an identical color to her gemstone, summoned from it, getting the beast's attention and skillfully avoiding its onslaughts. To her followed Amethyst, capturing its legs with a pair of dark whips, pulling of them to make it lose balance and applying a powerful electro-shock through them, for the beast to forget about following Pearl. Finally came Garnet, who landed a pair of straight punches with her battle gauntlets on its shell, which shown no signs of giving in. Steven provided assistance with his shield and his healing abilities when any of the gems lost the control over the situation.

So the rounds continued for about half and hour, until behind of some rocks appeared a thick, although flaccid-looking young boy, wearing a beach shirt, shorts and dark sandals. His hair somehow resembled the appearance of curly fries.

The boy behold the battle taking place in front of him. He watched the gems switching turns to attack the creature, and Steven helping them when needed. Finally, he found the courage to not flee away and speak to at least someone in the scene.

\- Ronaldo: **Steven! Hey, Steven!**

The kid stopped his run and took a second to disconnect himself from the fight, identifying the man in front of him.

\- Steven: **Oh, hi Ronaldo. What are you doing over here?**

\- Ronaldo: **Steven, I was doing a research about the weird happenings in Beach City, and I couldn't avoid noticing this... incident here.**

\- Steven: **What? This? Yeah, we're beating the gem outta it.** (Proud) **I think we'll be able to stop it in some minutes and everybody will be safe once again.**

\- Ronaldo: **You see, that was the point.**

\- Steven: (Naive) **What's up?**

\- Ronaldo: **Do you remember what you told me at the beach house this noon?**

\- Steven: **Eh... yes, sure...**

\- Ronaldo: **You told me those other gems had came in their spaceship for your team.**

\- Steven: (Nodding) **Ah ha...**

\- Ronaldo: **Just like these monsters, always coming to this place for you to stop them. I guess you guys are what attracts them here, am I right?**

\- Steven: (Scratches behind his head, in doubt) **Well... I'm not real sure of that, but... I guess we could have something to do with it.**

\- Ronaldo: (Points with his index finger towards the sky) **Then, that leads us to the only conclusion it is you guys the ones to blame for this strange stuff happening. It is all your fault!**

\- Steven: **But we always prevent them from hurting people, we protect everyone...**

\- Ronaldo: **Just as you save us from the danger, you're the ones exposing us to it with your presence in first place. You're a magnet for disasters.**

\- Steven: **Okay... I never had thought it that way** (moves his own index finger to his chin to think about it for a while).

In that moment Pearl appeared behind him, interrupting the occasional conversation.

\- Pearl: **Steven, what are you pretending to do by talking to this human? We need your help right now.**

Ronaldo took advantage of this to repeat what he had said before.

\- Ronaldo: **All the weird stuff happening in Beach City is because of you!** (Points an accusatory finger towards Pearl) **With you being here, all sorts of problems and creatures are attracted, putting all of us in constant danger!**

\- Pearl: (Serious) **For your information, we have been active in here since more than 5000 years ago. I doubt your civilization even existed back then. If you have problems with our work, I am so sorry. We do it for your own well being, and the one of other 7 thousand million of humans, just as for the countless amounts of other living creatures currently inhabiting this planet.**

Garnet got to hear the claims of the pale gem, so she went towards the group to see what was happening.

\- Garnet: **You should be fighting. Somebody please tell what's going on.**

\- Pearl: (Derogative) **It is just this human thinking that after working unsparingly here, gathering shards and corrupted gems since unmemorable times for any organic being, we should leave simply because a small town as Beach City just had to be placed nearby, against all odds, in order to prevent putting their inhabitants in 'danger'.**

\- Ronaldo: (Confident) **Yes, that's exactly what I meant.**

\- Pearl: **If you humans are so worried about it, you should have listened to us and NEVER had come here in first place.**

\- Garnet: **Honestly, you've faced worse things; but if you really think it is necessary that we leave, then it's alright.**

\- Pearl: (Shocked) **W-WHAT!? You are kidding, right?**

\- Garnet: **No. I heard there were some cheap and comfy apartments on sale in Ocean Town, and there's even a yard big enough to install a warp pad there, so we can move from and to the temple with ease.**

\- Pearl: (Her hair gets crispy) **Y-you can't be serious...**

\- Garnet: **We could even take some time for Steven's own human duties, like school. We've been neglecting that aspect of him for a while.**

Pearl gazed towards the fusion steadily, not being able to give credit to what she had just heard. Ronaldo seemed pretty confident though.

\- Garnet: **Well, it's there's nothing more to arg-**

\- Amethyst: **GUYS WATCH OUT!**

Due to the gems distraction, Amethyst couldn't keep hold of the giant crab for too long, and the creature ended breaking free, thrusting her right on the chest to immediately lunge towards the group. The first victim was Pearl, who received a strong hit on her head from one of its tongs, darting into a pile of rocks. Garnet was ambushed with her guard down, receiving a direct prick in her face. The gem fusion could barely step back in time for the hit to not be lethal, but a deep perforation could still be seen in her cheek. As her body was a construct of hard light, there was no blood to be seen coming out of the wound. It simply looked perforated as butter. Shocked, she lost her balance and fell on her back, leaving as targets to only Steven and Ronaldo. The monster didn't hold itself a second to think about it.

\- Ronaldo: **DAAAAH!**

The fries-looking haired boy started running for his life, Steven being left behind. Not sure about what to do, he just followed the crab, which chased after Ronaldo. The seconds felt eternal, until the kid got an idea.

Quickly, our young hero summoned his mother's shield, and threw it towards the monster as a boomerang. It it worked fine, the shield should turn back and impact the creature.

\- Steven: (Preying to himself) **Rose, my mother, I'm your best creation. Please make it a perfect headshot...**

The pink disc flied a considerable distance, overpassing both the monster and the boy. Just when Steven was about to shout a curse, the shield changed its trajectory and and started going back, gaining each time more speed. Finally, it landed a straight hit on the crab's only eye, which had been too busy in its chase to see it coming. The idea worked. In reply, the created stopped and began yelling aloud in pain. Steven noticed this immediately.

\- Steven: [ _ **The eye?... Of course! That's its weak point!**_ ]

Suddenly a furious Garnet appeared behind it, with her gauntlets now twice as big as before, and punched it hard on the face. A slight cracking sound was heard.

\- Garnet: **Finally, I could crack something in this bloody thing!**

\- Steven: (Jumping and waving his arms) **Garnet! The eye!... Punch it in the EYE!**

The gem fusion didn't need of more indications. Sliding under the beat, she gave it a flying uppercut, to right after joining her fists in a crushing hit downwards, similar to that time when she broke down the galactic pad again. The beast's eye cracked as tempered glass and then a 'poof' was heard.

Then, Garnet picked up a white gemstone with a black fringe in middle, which was all that was left of the corrupted gem monster. She contained it in a bubble and sent it to the temple with a flip of her hands. Ronaldo appeared again, after having ran some distance before realizing he wasn't being chased anymore.

\- Ronaldo: **You see? This is exactly what I'm talking about.**

\- Pearl: (Rubbing her forehead, visibly irritated) **Maybe if you didn't make yourself present where you weren't called, you would have saved us this scare.**

\- Garnet: **Ronaldo, I've said you that if you need we to go, we will; but now it's time for you to go.** (Her voice get authoritative) **Do it, NOW.**

The young boy ran away in fright.

\- Pearl: **Yeah, well said Garnet. That will teach him.**

\- Steven: **Pearl, your gem!**

\- Pearl: **What is going on with it?**

\- Steven: (Pointing to the gemstone in her forehead) **Check it out, it's scratched.**

\- Pearl: (Panics) **Really? WHERE!?**

\- Amethyst: **He's right. And, dude, what a huge scratch.**

\- Pearl: **Y-You're not helping, Amethyst!**

\- Steven: (Getting close to Pearl) **Take it easy, Pearl. I got it.**

The hybrid spread some saliva on his index finger. Pearl crouched to be at the same height than Steven, and he slided his finger over the mark on the pearl gemstone. The scratch faded away until it couldn't be seen anymore.

\- Pearl: (Sighs, now calmed) **That was really close. Thank you Steven.**

* * *

 **NA: Now it's time for the featured followers. Yay!  
**

 **\- thomasponyfan1, our 1st follower  
\- tetrisShark70, our 2nd follower  
\- Chaotic Hero, our 4th follower**

 **Do you see what I did there? No? Heh, I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually. Hint: the next featured follower will be the 8th one.**

 **Do not miss the second part of "** ** **Rising Tides, Falling Rain** ", coming soon!  
**

 **Thanks for reading.  
**


	4. Chap 3: Rising Tides, Falling Rain (2-2)

**NA: Alright, second part incoming! Let's see what will happen to the gems now.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 3:** **Rising Tides, Falling Rain - Part Two**

Back at home after the battle, the team had taken a while to check on their wounds. Then, they had a talk about how they did that afternoon with the crab, all of them sat on the couch. The comments on Ronaldo appeared rather quickly.

\- Pearl: **... And then Ronaldo comes to blame to us for everything. Even when we are the only ones in charge of the gem shards and corrupted gems on the loose out there, this asshole thinks he is in position to question our efforts and to try to get us out of here for putting everyone in this so called 'danger', from which we are actually protecting them in first-...**

The gem's complaints were interrupted by some snickering from Amethyst.

\- Pearl: **Amethyst, could I know what is so funny?**

\- Amethyst: (Holding her laughs) **You... you just...** (finally, she can't hold it anymore) **HAAA HA HA HA HA! You cal-... HA HA!... You called him an... an asshole, Pearl!** (points towards her) **YOU called him an ASSHOLE!** (falls from the couch, laughing hysterically while rolling on the floor) **I just can't believe this shi-... HAAA HA HA HA HAAAAA!...**

\- Pearl: (Her cheeks were in a deep shade of blue) **Did I... d-did I just said... that?**

\- Garnet: **You did. We all heard it.**

\- Pearl: (Nervous) **I-it can't be... I-I never say those things...** (gets up, angry) **Amethyst! Just see what you do! Not only you have taught curse words to Steven, but also your bad habits are now spreading to the rest of us!**

Things were about to get real bad, but then someone knocked at the door... or more likely slammed on it.

\- Steven: **Eh? That's weird. We didn't expect visits at this time, did we?**

\- Garnet: (Heavily sighs) **I gotta see who it is. I only hope it isn't the mailman, Ruby sort of dislikes him since the thing with the letters.**

The fusion went towards the door, to see a boy wearing a beach shirt, shorts and dark sandals, with his hair resembling the appearance of curly fries.

\- Garnet: (Opens the door) **Yes?**

\- Ronaldo: (Gets in his knees, at the verge of tears) **PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE BEACH CITY! WE NEED YOU HERE! I NEED YOU HERE FOR THIS PLACE TO BE... WEIRD! PLEASE, STAY! STAY AND KEEP MAKING BEACH CITY WE-HE-HE-HE-HE-IRD...!**

Garnet stayed unmovable and stoic, watching the small human crying on her feet. Inside her, however, the situation was different:

\- Garnet [Ruby]: [ _ **... This guy's gotta be kidding!**_ ]

\- Garnet [Sapphire]: [ _ **Aww, poor little thing! Steven said he dedicated his life to the abnormal happenings during our missions in Beach City for his blog.**_ ]

\- Garnet [Ruby]: [ _ **We don't even have any idea what that is supposed to be!**_ ]

\- Garnet [Sapphire]: [ _ **That's true, but I still feel bad for him. She should do something. I see it, this is important for him.**_ ]

\- Garnet [Ruby]: [ _ **Then what do we do?**_ ]

\- Garnet [Sapphire]: [ _ **Hmm... let's give him what he wants, let's say yes. Pearl disliked our idea of moving to Ocean Town, anyway.**_ ]

\- Garnet [Ruby]: [ _ **Dammit! I really wanted a pool.**_ ]

\- Garnet [Sapphire]: [ _ **We would need more money for that. Greg doesn't earn enough in the car wash.**_ ]

\- Garnet [Ruby]: [ _ **Yeah, good point. Go ahead.**_ ]

Both halves of Garnet came to an agreement which was expressed in a pair of words:

\- Garnet: **Alright then.**

Then the fusion gave the conversation for ended and closed the door. She sat again on the couch, where the argue seemed to have calmed down.

\- Amethyst: **Who as it? The pizza deliverer?**

\- Garnet: **It was Ronaldo.**

\- Amethyst: **That jerk again? What did he want?**

\- Garnet: **Apparently he changed his mind. We're going to stay here for a while longer** (crosses her legs and adjusts her shades).

\- Amethyst: (Derogative) **Oh really? Prfft!**

\- Pearl: **I got the feeling this human is going to become a real headache** **...** (she suddenly places a hand on her forehead) **literally. Ouch!**

\- Steven: **Pearl? What's the matter?**

\- Pearl: **N-nothing, Steven, it was just a twinge. I'm okay now.**

There was a short silence, which was broken when Garnet announced something.

\- Garnet: **Gems, we've got a problem.**

\- Amethyst: **What's going on now?**

\- Garnet: **It seems the healing spit that Steven has used on us won't be enough for we to fully recover from our wounds.**

\- Pearl: (Confused) **What?**

\- Steven: (Visibly worried) **What do you mean?**

\- Garnet: **Our gemstones have suffered heavy damage. This damage is internal, it will take a while to manifest itself, and the only way to recover from it is retreating back to them. We'll have to solve this the classic way.**

Garnet was right at certain point. There was a faint scar in her cheek where it had been perforated before, Amethyst's gemstone was reflecting light in an abnormal way and the scratch on Pearl's one seemed to be reappearing somehow.

\- Steven: **What about my spit? Or my mother's fountain?**

\- Garnet: **I'm afraid your powers work too quickly to be able to treat such a deep and complicated kind of damage in gemstones. Perhaps that's the reason neither you or your mother have been able to restore corrupted gems using your healing fluids so far.**

\- Pearl: **Really?**

\- Garnet: **Trust me** (adjusts her shades again), **the possible outcomes of this are anything but pleasant.**

It became pretty obvious she was making use of her future vision ability, unique in her. Nobody needed more hints.

\- Amethyst: **Okay so, we're pretty bad but... what do we do with Steven?**

\- Pearl: **That's true, Steven can't be left all alone yet. He's just a kid.**

\- Garnet: **Steven is 12 years old already. Several books say he's entering to a new stage in his life, and he has demonstrated to be someone responsible; so we can give him a chance.**

\- Steven: (Exited, with star-like shines on her pupils) **Will it be like a mission?**

\- Garnet: (Places a hand on his shoulder, speaking in a motherly voice) **That's right, Steven, and it's going to be a really special and delicate one.**

Steven understood what his protector meant and tried to put the most serious face he could, although he just managed to look even more adorable. Amethyst let go a snort, holding her laugh.

\- Garnet: **We'll be absent for some days, so we need you to take care of our gemstones while we are regenerating.**

\- Amethyst: **It's not a bad idea. I mean, he's the only one who didn't go under heavy damage, right?**

\- Garnet: **Yes, that's right. Now we'll go get some provisions for you to have something to eat during the days in which you cannot stay with your father. Do you you think you'll be able to handle it?**

\- Steven: **Of course!** (Offers a military salute) **You can trust Serious Steven!**

\- Garnet: (Pats his hair, messing it up) **He he, of course we can. I'm pretty sure you'll do it fine.**

And so, the gems went to Beach City for supplies and everything Steven could need. Dealing with Pearl's sudden attacks of 'what if...?' proved to be complicated, but they still managed to leave the supermarket with a check they could pay and enough articles.

The night had fallen when the four were back at the beach house. Inside, they organized everything that was available. Pearl took advantage of the time and gave Steven some last instructions and then she bade him farewell. The others did the same too, all of them joining in a group hug right afterwards.

Moments later, a series of lights left from what once were the Crystal Gems only a pearl, an amethyst, a ruby and a sapphire, lying on the floor. Each gemstone could fit in the palm of a hand.

Steven pulled out some pillows he had prepared for the gems: a white pillow for Pearl, a blue pillow for Amethyst and a red pillow with golden fringes for Ruby and Sapphire. The last one was for two gems not due to a lack of more pillows, but because the kid knew the level of intimacy and closeness they had, and he preferred to keep them together during their healing process.

Finally, the quartz child put the pillows on a shelf in his bedroom, with the moonlight being casted on them and projecting a slight shine on the roof from them. The only thing that could be heard outside was the waves breaking on the bay due to the rising tides, and the drops of water from the intense rain having place in that moment, crashing on the window. Steven put on his pajamas and went to bed for spending his first night without the gems at home.

\- Steven: **Good night, Pearl. G'night, Amethyst. G'night, Garnet.**

This was going to be a long week.

* * *

 **NA: If you're wondering, I can tell you that either Pearl, Amethyst or Garnet will have a very important role in this fanfic from now onwards. Steven is going to take this on his hands.**

 **And let's give a warm welcome to** **Ayase Reincarnated, our 8th follower!  
**

 **Thanks for reading.  
**


	5. Chap 4: Fusions and Hearts (1-2)

**NA: Are some new followers what I see? Welcome and** **make yourself comfortable!**

 **It's time for another Steven Bomb 2.0 chapter with an altered timeline.**

 **Darn, these chapters get** ** **each time** harder to translate. I'm gonna have to eat a dictionary if I plan to go on with this.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Fusions and Hearts - Part One**

\- Greg: **Is the disc over there, son?**

\- Steven: **Eh... yup! I got it.**

The sun was setting again in Beach City, and the moon was slowly becoming visible. Steven, her friend Connie and his dad, Gregory, were in front of the car-wash. The kids were helping him to put things in order inside his van.

Steven handed his father the vinyl he had just found, inside a case. The man received the disc and stacked it over several other ones, in order to take the pile of discs and put them inside inside a box labeled "Old but Gold".

\- Greg: **Aaand done! My classics collection is complete once again.** (Turns to Steven) **Thank you, son. I see that, aside from her powers, you inherited your mother's ability for finding stuff quickly.** (Scratches the back of his head) **Sometimes, I can't find something even when it's right under my nose.**

\- Steven: **No problem, dad.**

Connie observed some of the varied cover arts on the cases containing the discs. This kind of music was something unknown for her.

\- Connie: **Wow, I wonder what those songs sound like.**

\- Greg: **Have you never heard of _The Philosophy Majors_? Dang, Connie! You guys have missed a jewel from the 80s.**

\- Connie: (Laughs a bit) **Really? Well, my parents are more fanatic of the classical music, like, the instrumental one... orchestras and stuff.**

\- Greg: **Of course! Just wait for me to put this on the turntable.** (Receives the case from Connie and goes to the device) **Good thing this gear is so old it never gets broken.**

Greg put the vinyl disc into the artifact, plugged the output to an adapter and from it to the speakers' mixer. The turntable began to work and right then the moody music could be heard. The children got quickly caught with the rhythm, and Steven offered his hand to Connie in signal of invitation.

Being a pair of kids, they naturally started to jump and then go one round the other, both taken from their arms and laughing in joy. This activated the synchronization of the quartz gem, and a strong flash of light suddenly blinded Greg. As soon as it faded enough, what the family man could see left him speechless: a girl, probably in her eighteens, with skin in a sweet shade of brown product of a wonderful tan, a generously proportioned body shape and long, curled dark hair; wearing a small magenta shirt with a yellow star on it, layered under a cropped version of what seemed to be Connie's sleeveless dress, and mini-shorts. There were some features in the individual that seemed shockingly familiar to him, like the rose quartz gem embedded in place of the belly.

The female-looking fusion kept dancing to the music, although with movements that looked more like real dancing steps this time. Greg let them follow for a while, until he came back to himself and stopped the turntable. They needed a pair of seconds to realize the music was gone and what had happened.

\- Stevonnie: _**E-eh...**_ (look at their hands and body, then glaze on Greg) **Oops! Th-that wasn't supposed to happen.**

\- Greg: **... Guys?**

\- Stevonnie: (Notably blushing, with a hand behind them and raising shyly the other one) **He he... hey, dad... _Mister Universe?_**

\- Greg: **Wow... you...** (gets excited) **you guys can do that? You can fuse!?**

\- Stevonnie: **Well, yeah...** (Clear their throat) _**A-Actually, the first time we did it was an accident, just like... now.**_

\- Greg: **Oh, I see.** (Calms down) **Hmp! This brings me some good memories.**

\- Stevonnie: (Surprised) _**Really?**_

\- Greg: **Yeah, he he, from a long while. Years ago.**

\- Stevonnie: (Very excited, taking small jumps) **Oh! Oh! Story time!**

While Steven felt really excited for the fact this situation was leading to a fantastic new story about his father's life with Rose, Connie wasn't aware of these things and felt confused. The difference of emotions unbalanced the synchronization, ending abruptly the fusion.

The same light flashed again, revealing a pair of kids laying on the sidewalk.

\- Connie: (Getting up off the ground while rubbing her head) **Ouch... E-Ehm, mister Universe, please don't tell anything of this to my parents! Considering the extremely worried they get with anything, they're able of not letting me go out again...** (looks away and lowers her voice) **or to think something... inappropriate.**

\- Greg: **What? No, don't worry. I know how to deal with this stuff.**

\- Connie: **Phew! What a relief...**

\- Steven: (Rising his arms towards the sky and singing in a deep voice) **STOOORY TIIIME!**

Quickly, Steven took her partner's hand and made her have a sit on the border of the van. Greg sat down in front of the vehicle's back, but just when he was about to begin, he stood up again and pulled a videotape out from a big-sized box.

\- Greg: **You guys are in luck today. I usually tell my stories with the only company of my guitar, but this time I got the song of the day recorded on a videotape. I know you kids from these days like to see everything in video so... hey Steven, you mother sings in this one!**

\- Steven: (Stars are shining in his pupils) **OH MY GOD, ARE YOU SERIOUS?**

\- Greg: **Yeah. Check this out!**

Greg dusted the videotape and inserted it into a VHS player, turned on the TV, and once the device loaded the tape a videoclip was shown. In it, Rose and a Greg made a duet in a sort of spicy, romantic song. Amethyst assisted with the drumkit and Garnet played the keytar in order to add some depth to the notes of the electric guitar being played by who then was _Mr. Universe_. Then came a guitar solo. Pearl got approached Rose and whispered something to her, then they engaged into a dance sequence and fused, giving place to a luxuriant woman of two meters tall and four eyes who improvised masterfully her own dance according to music. She finally left herself fall softly on the stage to become Pearl and Rose again, after a white flash. The song ended, just as the recording did.

Greg resumed with the story immediately.

* * *

 ***FLASHBACK***

 _ **Crystal Gems temple, 20 years ago.**_

Greg shuts down the camera and puts his guitar back in its cover.

\- Greg: **Wow! What was that?**

\- Rose: (Worried) **Did you dislike it?**

\- Greg: (Excited) **Are you kidding? That's the best thing I've ever seen!**

\- Rose: (Giggles) **He he he... she's called Rainbow Quartz, she's a fusion. It's something we can create when we synchronize, usually by performing a dance or something like it. The sequence was an idea of Pearl, do you think it fits nicely in your video or... maybe we were showing too much?**

\- Pearl: **Probably it wouldn't be right to send the clip. Such a pity, isn't it Greg?**

\- Greg: **Absolutely not. People will think those are special effects, it's pretty common to use them. Pearl, your idea was great. Thank you!**

\- Pearl: (Slightly surprised) **Oh... it is alright. Y-You are welcome.**

\- Rose: **Well... I'm happy to have been able of helping you with the clip. I didn't even know I could sing until now I tried, he he!**

\- Greg: **Yeah. You rock, Rose!**

Greg winks Rose, pointing to her with both of his hands in a gesture of complicity. The gem recognizes this and returns the gesture.

\- Rose: **Naturally I do. I'm a space rock, babe!**

Pearl fails to identify the behavior, and just stares at the strange act of communication.

\- Rose: **Alright, I've got some stuff to do so... see ya later.**

\- Greg: **Ok, Rose. Thanks a lot for everything.**

\- Rose: (Sexy voice) **Anytime, Mr. Universe** (some giggles from the gem leader can be heard as she goes away).

Everybody left on the stage began to store the instruments. Greg put his guitar back in its case while Garnet did the same with the keytar and the drumkit. Then, a childish Amethyst ran towards Greg.

\- Amethyst: **And the payment?**

\- Greg: **Oh, right.** (Pulls a bag of chips from his pocket and throws it to her) **There ya go, enjoy!**

Amethyst caught the bag, shook it as an animal and left the place running on all fours. Greg found this funny. Pearl was picking up the cables on the floor, coiling them up between her forearm and elbow. Once she found herself alone with the young man, the gem talked to him.

\- Pearl: **Ehm... Greg. It is not like I liked to** **meddle in Rose's social relationships, but... you do realize that you are just a 'phase' for her, right?**

\- Greg: (Gives her a weird look, then gets serious) **Now, what are you talking about?**

\- Pearl: **You know, considering your lifespan is tiny compared to the wide and virtually unlimited existence of a gem... Rose will eventually have to get away from you in order to not feel pity for your inevitable aging. I mean, she likes you and all, but it is only because you are a human. You are like a pet to her: young and radiant, a fabulous distraction, but not any less... disposable, in the end.**

\- Greg: (Laves his seriousness aside) **Oh, so that's what you think?**

\- Pearl: (Coils up the cable of the microphone on her forearm) **Let me put it in terms your limited mind can process in a proper way: You're always going to be Rose's favorite while I'm away; but as I'm here,** (puts the coiled cable as collar on Greg, then snaps her fingers) **you gotta go, _scrub_** (her stare turns defiant).

\- Greg: (Returns her the same stare) **So... it's the fusion, right? You say it because of that?**

\- Pearl: **Oh! Now that we speak of it, fusion is by definition the maximum grade of intimacy for a gem; something such an organic being like you will never be able to perform. I am so sorry, Greg, but if you pretended to counter me by trying to do that with Rose, I am afraid you are going to receive a strong hit of crude reality.**

\- Greg: (Confident) **Bet you 20 dollars I get to fuse with Rose.**

\- Pearl: (Uncomfortable) **Would you dare to bet with things like that? Also, you are just a pile of meat and bones,** (crosses her arms) **it is impossible for you to achieve it.**

\- Greg: **Not really, but I'm pretty sure that** (points to himself) **THIS pile of meat and bones has what's required to do it.**

\- Pearl: **Very well, Gregory, very well. I accept your terms; but with the condition that in case you lose, the most probable scenario, you will have to pay me AND to clean Amethyst's room... for a week.**

Greg thought about it. That room in the temple wasn't really a bad place to him, there always were interesting stuff in it. The last time, he found an old lost painting from a famous artist, which he could sell for a generous amount of money, to invest his earnings in equipment and new instruments.

\- Greg: **It's a deal.**

The musician offered his hand to her. The gem understood this and shook hands with him. Once done this, both of them left in opposite directions, to take care of their own matters.

\- Greg: (Whispers glancing to her sideways) **Stubborn gem...**

\- Pearl: (Whispers rubbing her hands maliciously) **Foolish human...**

* * *

 _ **Bay of Beach City.**_

Greg was that night in his van, with some equipment out and a canvas on the sand. A VHS player plugged to a TV showed the video clip he had recorded during the afternoon. The man tried to follow some of the steps of the dance Rose and Pearl performed, although it was proving to be a hard job. Garnet and Amethyst were out for a walk on the beach in that moment, and they couldn't avoid noticing what Greg was trying to do, so they went to see how he was doing.

\- Garnet: **Has the young gentleman got any plans?**

\- Greg: **Eh?** (Falls down) **Ah, hi Garnet. Amethyst, how are ya?**

\- Amethyst: **Hey Greg!**

\- Garnet: **It seems learning the delicate moves of Pearl is going to be hard, isn't it?**

\- Greg: (Sighs) **Yeah...** (Lowers his head) **Maybe Pearl's right, my body isn't precisely the one of a ballet dancer like hers.** (Looks back at Garnet, recovering his mood) **Wait, you're gems, hopefully you can help me with this.**

\- Garnet: **You ask.**

\- Greg: **What do you think I need in order to fuse with Rose? I really want to experience such a grade of closeness with her.**

\- Garnet: **Let's see: first, you need a solid-light projection as body; then, you need someone to share such light with.**

\- Greg: **Figuratively, right?**

\- Garnet: (Adjusts her shades) **N-no, literally.**

\- Greg: **Darn! I'll have to conform with checking on Amethyst's room for a week.**

\- Garnet: **You didn't do any bad last time.**

\- Greg: **That's right.** (To Amethyst) **I'm really grateful to you Amethyst for the picture. You've got a good eye for art.**

The little gem just smiled in response.

\- Garnet: **On the other hand...**

Garnet picked up a stick with her right hand, and threw it to the other side of the beach.

\- Garnet: **Go for it, Amethyst!**

Amethyst chased the object out of instinct, with her tongue out.

\- Garnet: **... I think you're able to get close enough to her to... get something.**

\- Greg: **Seriously? Well... it's better than nothing.**

\- Garnet: **Yes, but I must give you an advice** (puts both of her hands on his shoulders) **: a fusion implies an special bound between two individuals, so it's unique. Thus, you don't need to follow Pearl's steps, but your own. Be yourselves, express what you trully feel, and then you will achieve synchronization.**

\- Greg: (The hope is filling his eyes) **Do you really think it can work?**

\- Garnet: **Trust me, Greg** (pulls down her shades, revealing three eyes in her face, something unknown for the human until then), **I know well what I'm talking about** (grins and winks him).

\- Greg: (A bit shocked) **Y-Yeah, got cha.** (Calms down) **Thanks, Garnet.**

* * *

 **NA: Let's receive with a warm welcome to our 16th follower: 3abbie3. And we just reached the 1K views right now! Yay!  
**

 **If you like this fic give it a fav and follow and don't forget to leave a review, because I love how you guys like it!**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **PS: The 'they' thing used in singular really confuses me, like, a hell lot; but something told me I had to at least try to use it in order to avoid complains from... sensitive people.  
**


	6. Chap 5: Fusions and Hearts (2-2)

**NA: I'm back!**

 **Greg just made a bet with an alien. Had that been a good idea? Well, let's see it in the conclusion of this second two-parter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Fusions and Hearts - Part Two**

 ***FLASHBACK***

 ** _Crystal Gems temple_** _ **, 20 years ago.**_

The next afternoon, Greg appeared again at the Gems' Temple.

\- Greg: (Being heard from a distance) **Rose! Hey Rose! Are you busy? Rose!**

When he got to the outsides of the temple, Greg found two small individuals he couldn't recognize: one of them was red, wearing a suit a bit darker than her skin and hair pretty similar to Garnet's, although shorter; and the other had light blue skin and long white hair that seemed to cover her sight, wearing a dress of a more intense blue than the rest of her. Both of them were at the opposite sides of a chess table, apparently in middle of a match. As soon as they noticed his arrive they looked towards him.

\- Sapphire: **Ah, how's it been Greg?**

\- Ruby: **... What? You can't play chess all by yourself, can you?**

\- Greg: (Very confused) **Who the hell are you? I've never seen you guys before... I think.**

Ruby wasn't someone known for her patience, so she couldn't but facepalm in frustration.

\- Sapphire: **Well... I'm afraid not.** (Points to herself) **I'm Sapphire,** (points to her mate) **and this is Ruby, and together we are Garnet.**

Greg immediately remembered what happened the previous night on the beach and figured out what was going on.

\- Greg: **Ahhhh, of course! You guys are the two halves of Garnet, am I right?**

\- Sapphire: **In fact, you are.**

\- Ruby: (Sarcastically applauding) **Bravo, bravo... our little pet earned a cookie.**

\- Greg: **He he he, it seems your personalities are sort of... opposed?... _[I guess]_**

\- Sapphire: **Yes, that's why Garnet can be so inexpressive sometimes. That and because of the dark shades, but I personally like how we look with them.**

\- Ruby: (Recovering her mood) **Yeah, I must admit they're a nice touch.**

\- Greg: **Anyway, I was looking for Rose. I'm ready for a fusion that will surely make history.**

Ruby rolled her eyes while Sapphire began to giggle, trying to show herself a bit discrete by covering her smile with her right hand.

\- Sapphire: **Hey! Take it easy, casanova!**

\- Greg: (Blushes, but follows the joke) **Wha-? Ah ha ha ha ha ha!**

\- Sapphire: **By the way, Rose went out to get some stuff. She should be back soon.**

As if so many mentions of her name had invoked her, the Crystal Gems' leader appeared standing on the warp pad, behind a curtain of light.

\- Rose: **I'm back! How's that chess match going?... Oh, hi Greg! It's a pleasure to see you again.**

\- Greg: **You have no idea yet, my dearest Rose. I have prepared something special for you tonight.**

\- Rose: (Sexy glance and voice) **Really? I'm _dying_ to know what's all of this about.**

This time, both halves of Garnet had to hold their giggles.

* * *

The night had fallen again and Greg was on the beach, this time in company of Rose. Both of them were standing on a dancing floor mounted on the sand, looking to each other.

\- Greg: **Rose, I have brought you here because... I'd like to share this musical piece with you.**

\- Rose: **Oh, are we going to dance... in couple?** (smiles) **Splendid!**

Greg reached the turntable and turned it on. The device started playing, and the song _'Making Love Out Of Nothing At All'_ could be listened. The couple began to move slightly to the beat of the music, and as the theme went on the lights on the dancing floor were turning on, giving place to more elaborated steps by Greg. Rose followed suit, and soon both of them found themselves dancing in a improvised, yet fluid fashion. They had found their own dance.

Greg felt he was getting it, although Rose didn't really know what was happening. Finally the song came to an end, and Greg made his last move holding Rose in his arms, their faces separated for just millimeters. Both of them closed their eyes. The quartz gem glowed faintly.

But nothing else happened.

Greg opened his eyes again, heavily sighing when he realized the results.

\- Greg: **Goddammit, it didn't work.**

\- Rose: (Even more confused) **What thing?**

\- Greg: **The fusion. I wanted to dance with you so we could fuse, to see how I could do with that... y-you know.**

Rose burst into laughter immediately.

\- Rose: **AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...!**

\- Greg: **Eh... Rose...**

\- Rose: **HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...!**

\- Greg: **Rose...**

\- Rose: **YOU WANTED TO FUS- *snort* HI HI HI HI HI HI HI HIIII...!**

\- Greg: **Rose!**

\- Rose: **OH YOU HUMANS ARE ALL _SO_ FUNNY, I SWEAR!  
**

Ouch!

\- Greg: (Flying off the handle) **ROSE! Could you speak to me like a real person for a second!?**

Rose stopped her laughs abruptly. In her face a deep worry could be seen. Something told her she had just done something she messed up.

\- Rose: **I-I'm sorry... Greg... you know I'm not a... r-real 'person', right?**

This time it was Greg who felt he had said something he shouldn't.

\- Greg: **Oh, o-of course... you... phew! I'm such an idiot!... I just forgot for a second you were an alien, uh? He he.**

Rose giggled awkwardly, not really knowing what to do.

\- Greg: **Excuse me for all of this madness, it's just that I thought you had already tried enough human stuff and I wanted to try some of your gem stuff for once.**

\- Rose: (Inclines her head and blushes a bit, engulfed by the cuteness) **Aww... what a beautiful detail, Greg; but that wasn't necessary. Plus, you're a human so I doubt we could do something like that.**

\- Greg: (Kind of downhearted) **Yeah, I was afraid of that.**

There was a short, awkward pause. Greg tried to continue the conversation.

\- Greg: **You know what? I'm worried about the future.**

\- Rose: (Tries to help, with a silly smile) **The future? Oh, go ask Garnet. She's always of help with that** (the expression in Greg makes her know how badly she failed).

\- Greg: **Not that future, I mean... o-OUR future, you get it?... How are we going to take this forward if we can't even agree in something first?**

\- Rose: **It's just... well, I...** (lowers her sight) **I thought I was doing this right.** (Short pause) **Darn, I though laughs helped in these stuff.**

\- Greg: **Well, kind of... but everything has its limits. Abusing them won't help either.**

\- Rose: **Hmp, alright.**

And again they found themselves at a lack of words. It was frustrating.

\- Greg: **Crap! I'm** ** **so** confused!**

\- Rose: (Giggles) **I-I'm confused too!**

\- Greg: **Well, at least we agreed in that... he he... he he he...**

Greg's small laughs turned quickly into sobs.

\- Rose: **Greg? Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?**

\- Greg: **I don't know! I don't even know why I'm crying anymore!**

Rose couldn't do more than what all of these years on Earth had teach her to do when somebody cried in front of her: give him a warm hug. At least that worked to soothe him. Greg reciprocated the gesture back.

\- Greg: **Have you ever loved someone?**

\- Rose: **Oh, Greg, I always love. And it's wonderful.**

\- Greg: **Alright, but... Have you ever been... i-in love with someone?**

\- Rose: **Well... I don't know.**

\- Greg: **People say... love can be like a torture sometimes.**

\- Rose: **Is this like a torture for you?**

\- Greg: **To be honest... yes, it really is.**

Rose undid the hug to place her hands on his beloved human's face.

\- Rose: **Along my existence I've experienced so many types of love, Greg, they have been so many and so varied that I struggle to discern between them; but... here I am, discovering something new... something in our love that makes it special over all I've ever felt before... something, I never want to let go.**

Greg raised his sight, finding stars shining on the gem's pupils, and diamonds on his own.

\- Rose: **... and for that reason, Greg... all I can tell you is... I love you, Greg. I love you with all my being.**

Both of them merged in a deep kiss, living each second that felt like an eternity. Finally, Greg had to break it to recover some air.

Rose smiled to him.

Their legs started moving, but there was no music.

They began dancing, even when there was nothing to try, at the rhythm of his heartbeat.

They began synchronizing, even when they still hadn't managed to agree in enough things...

Except for the fact they loved each other.

In that moment, only that mattered.

Both of them felt like the only beings in the universe.

Behind some rocks, Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet were watching what the couple was doing on the beach.

\- Pearl: **Why are they dancing again? They already know that it is not going to work.**

\- Garnet: **Oh, it really will. You watch.**

The light emitted from the quartz gem intensified until engulfing both of them. Suddenly, Greg felt his strength fading away.

At the next instant, he was on the other side.

 _He felt taller._

 _He felt stronger.  
_

 _He felt... somebody else.  
_

 _He felt like Rose. And Rose felt like Greg.  
_

 _He tried to see his hand, finding it inside Rose's. Her body looked shiny and translucent, wrapping his own.  
_

 _He tried to touch his face, and felt Rose's... with her hands.  
_

 _It was all so surreal.  
_

 _He could access all the knowledge acquired during millennia of existence.  
_

 _He could feel all the feelings shaped during an eternity on a rose quartz gem.  
_

 _And yet all he felt was love... the same that had grown in his heart.  
_

 _He could feel her, and she could feel him too.  
_

 _He gazed towards the nightly sky, and could recognize distant worlds in the constellations.  
_

 _He gazed towards the temple, and he admired it more now that he could understand its secrets.  
_

 _He gazed towards a pile of rocks, and he could feel the presence of the other gems, hiding behind.  
_

 _He remembered his bet. Rose knew about it now.  
_

 _It was so peaceful... so wonderful.  
_

 _This was a fusion.  
_

 _It wasn't like any other fusion.  
_

 _It was their fusion. The personification of their personal relationship.  
_

 _It wasn't two individuals.  
_

 _It wasn't a sole individual.  
_

 _It was... an experience.  
_

They had fused! Although Greg's body could be seen through Rose's, meaning their bodies weren't really capable to merge, as expected. But still, they really _felt_ like a different presence to the individuals hiding behind the rocks. The gems' reactions about what had happened were diverse: Pearl was shocked, Amethyst was having fun with the showoff, and Garnet had a big smile from ear to ear.

\- Pearl: (Very slowly) **It can't be...**

\- Amethyst: **Ha ha... Rose ate Greg.**

\- Garnet: **Yes! Perfect!...**

\- Pearl: _**[Now where am I going to get 20 dollars from!?]**_

 ***END OF FLASHBACK***

* * *

\- Greg: **And that was exactly what happened... or more or less like it.**

\- Steven: **Wow! Did all of that really happen?**

\- Greg: **As far as my old memory doesn't fail me, yeah.**

\- Connie: **That is...** (blushes slightly) **th-that denotes a very special bond between you two, Mr. Universe.**

\- Greg: **Well, yeah, although if you ask me...** (scratches the back of his head) **Rose kind of preferred the human alternative to fusion, you know, so it wasn't like we did that more than once.**

Connie glanced briefly Steven with naughty eyes and couldn't hold some giggles, while the boy didn't understand very well what was that last comment about.

\- Greg: **Anyway, it's getting late. Thanks a lot for your help, kids, I wouldn't have been able to order all of this up by myself.**

\- Connie: **No problem, Mr. Universe.**

\- Greg: **Ah, by the way, Connie: if you ever need somebody to speak about this, somebody who is willing to hear you... without freaking out, he he, you can come here anytime.**

\- Connie: **Oh, I really thank you for that.**

Greg raises his hand calling for a high-five.

\- Greg: **Human beings?**

\- Connie: (Stands up, smiling and high-fives Greg) **Human beings!**

Steven only watched his gem while he wondered about in which category would someone like him be: Human? Gem? Hybrid?... none of the previous?

\- Steven: (Repeats silently) **Human beings...**

* * *

Some hours later, Steven and his father were on the road, driving in his van back to Beach City after leaving Connie at home. Greg was at the wheel and his son occupied the seat next to him, while the song ' _I was made for Loving You_ ' was being played at low volume.

\- Greg: **These songs never get too old, I swear.**

\- Steven: **H-hey dad, I wanted to ask you something.**

\- Greg: **Sure son, what is it?** (Lowers even more the stereo volume)

\- Steven: **While you were high-fiving with Connie, I was thinking... what am I really supposed to be? A gem? A human? A... hybrid?... Or maybe something else?**

The man driving took his time before replying. This was a delicate matter to treat with Steven.

\- Greg: **Well... something all this mess with the aliens and stuff has taught me is that people can have some things in common, as thousands of others in difference; but in the end what those things are doesn't really matter. Each individual is a completely distinct type in itself. Categories are meant to display similarities only, not to divide groups.**

\- Steven: **Dad... say something less surreal** (laughs a bit).

\- Greg: **Alright, alright, lil' champ. If you really want categories for you... I'd pick three: 'human', because you have everything a common human has, plus, you're my son; 'gem', because you've got powers of your own and you can do gem stuff, and one more. Apart from those two things, you're something else, _someone_ who breaks boundaries, like a miracle. Yes, that: 'miracle'. And I couldn't express even with the most marvelous song in the universe how blessed I feel for having the chance to see this miracle grow and make everyone happy. Son, your mother surely would be proud of ya.**

\- Steven: **Oh, thanks old man.**

Both of them continue their trip in silence for a while, until Steven decides to resume the conversation.

\- Steven: **By the way, could I spend the night in the van?**

\- Greg: **What?... Well, if the gems don't complain, it's fine to me.**

\- Steven: **Nah, they're coming with us.**

Steven pulled a black jewelry box with golden details out of his cheeseburger backpack, and showed it to his father. Once open, it revealed a tapestry of red velvet, with three compartments. A pearl gemstone was in one of them, in the next was an amethyst, and in middle there were a ruby and a sapphire stored together in the same compartment. Greg seemed to be surprised by what he just had seen, but he tried hard to keep himself under control as he was still driving.

\- Greg: (Slightly nervous) **Oh, wow... did... s-something go wrong during a mission?**

\- Steven: (Closes the chest) **Fortunately not. It's just that they were too tired and preferred to retreat into their gemstones to recover. Even so, I never go out without them.**

\- Greg: **In that case, no problem.** (Short pause) **Do you have food at home?**

\- Steven: **Of course, we even bought stuff beforehand.**

\- Greg: **Excellent. Maybe we could stay over there one of these days** (moves the gearshift, keeping his sight on the road) **, so you can sleep more comfortably in your bedroom.**

\- Steven: **That's a great idea, dad. Thank you.**

The Universe van could be seen going on the hill a last time, and a big sign put aside of the road saying "Welcome to Beach City".

* * *

 **NA: As a way of spoiler, I can tell you guys we're going to know again from the homeworld gems in the next chapter, so get prepared!  
**

 **You might notice some characters look sort of OOC in further chapters. Even in this one I feel Sapphire is OOC. That's due to this fic being written during the StevenBomb 2.0 and the beginnings of 3.0, so the personalities in them are based in what I though they were back then. Of course, the expectations of many have changed after the SB 3.0 and the latest episodes, specially with Peridot.**

 **And I know, my English is anything but professional. I'm sorry mates. Anyway, if you find something wrong report it in the reviews section please!**

 **Thanks for reading.**


End file.
